Big Time Slip Ups
by Lighter
Summary: Have you ever had one of those days where you just wish you'd kept your mouth shut? Kendall has.


_"The times you don't wanna wake up, cause in your sleep its never over when you give up."_ Sang the 4 boys into the microphone in the sound room. _"Dark out, but you still gotta light up... gotta keep your head up. Gotta keep your face up."_

They finished their recording session at Rocque Records- technically. Kelly informed them that they had an interview later that day at A.M. L.A. and since the boy's hadn't shown up early for the session- as asked of them- they managed to get in a half hour at best and when you've being told to sing it again over and over, they somehow only got out the two lines from the hook before it was time for them to be shoved out the door to go across town to the news show. But before they could head out the door to the limo, Gustavo had them lined up for a pep talk.

In a very professional and almost military way, Gustavo says to them. "Boys, this job isn't going to end up like the first time had you on the show." He even paced back and forth like a general commander of a fleet of soldiers awaiting war. "Because not only are you going to be singing again, today you're going to be _interviewed_... which means _talking_. But unlike with your day with Deke, this will be on television for all the world to see. So when being interviewed follow these rules."

The band brings their half wandered attention to the pad of paper attached to an easel.

"Rule number one!" Gustavo slaps his wooden pointer against the pad of paper. "Be friendly."

"Every host likes it when the stars smile and are personable." Kelly elaborated from the side lines.

"Meaning," And Gustavo prefered his method of elaborating; flexing his example by saying. "I don't care if your head catches fire, play _stupid_ and smile." He paused briefly to let it sink in before hammering the nail and shouting. "GOT IT!"

Big Time Rush shakily nod their heads.

"Rule... number two. Wait your turn when speaking."

"Talking together is fine, but not when its four different things all at once." Kelly informed.

They seemed to get that much and exchanged agreeing nods with each other.

"Rule number three, and perhaps the most important rule of them aaaall,"

Though they could easily read the notepad, the four await for Gustavo's expected explosion.

"Don't. Say. Anything. DUMB!"

They braced themselves in place from the gust of air that blasted their way with the final say.

"Now _get out_!" The pointer stick aimed for the glass double doors.

Kelly watched the boys file out of the exit and called after them. "And have a good time with it!"

When the boys were out of sight, Gustavo turned to his assistant and sighed. "Kelly, the dogs will never learn discipline without proper teaching."

"Right." She replied skeptically and rolled her eyes.

"We can only hope they've learned their lesson from the last time," Walking around to the seat of his desk, he plants himself down and grabs the phone.

"Who are calling?" Kelly set her scheduling book down on top of the book and looked at the button being pressed on the speed dial.

"Griffin." Gustavo sounded as though he were stating the obvious. "So I can tell him that the boys will be on the show _tomorrow_, this way, when they screw up today he won't see it."

Even Kelly, with her faith and trust in the band, knew that that was a good idea. BTR can be unruly and unpredictable at even their best times. Can't have any risks of the higher ups believing that they'll continue to be problems when put in front of a camera. They'll never get booked to sing on television again, never get interviews so word gets out about them. They'll have to shell money for commercials to advertize a CD and Griffin will NOT like that at all. Reaching for the remote, Kelly turns on the flat screen in the corner of the room so they can watch A.M. L.A. At least they're taking the company limo, so if anything the boys will at least get to the news studio, if nothing else goes right from that point on.

"Alright, prep time." Kendall started, and shifted forward in his seat. But James interrupted him before he could get out the rest of his statement.

"Already ahead of you," He grins at his reflection in the tiny hand held mirror as he combs his hair.

"_Noo_, James. What I _meant_ was that we've seen enough interviews to know how they go; what questions they'll ask."

"Ohhh." Looking across from him at Carlos, he offers his hispanic friend a friendly smile before saying. "Hi, I'm James Diamond, 'the _face_' of Big Time Rush and my hobbies include singing, modeling," He whips out his head shots of a perky college teen, and an aspiring waiter.

Carlos and Logan snicker at the cheesy photos.

"Aaand, dating. I-..."

Cutting James off, Logan comments. "Dating isn't a hobby, James." Shaking his head in dismay, he adds. "This is what Gustavo and Kelly were talking about; we can't go back to A.M. L.A. and be remembered as troublemakers."

Kendall gave a snapped point of the fingers to Logan's statement as he completely agreed with it. Then the blond took it upon himself to mention his own aspirations for the show. "I for one am gonna name drop the new album and release date, and say hi to Jo, Mom, and Katie, then join you guys in a bit of acapella." He sat back feeling rather sure of himself; like a kid that got away with sneaking a cookie before dinner with his mother standing right in the kitchen.

"Oooh." They all smile and nod.

Amped up, Carlos happily spills his plans to his friends and fellow band members. "I'm gonna see if I can get an endorsement gig for corn dogs; talk about my helmet, and-..." His head suddenly felt cold.

"Carlos." Removing the helmet, Logan shakes his head saying in a reprimanding tone, "Nooo." as he lowers the nuisance to his lap.

"But-..." Reaching for his beloved helmet; he and Logan are just about in a fight which stopped instantly once the car door opened up beside them alerting them that they've arrived.

As they're ushered inside, Kendall mutters under his breath. "Remember, nothing embarrassing."

"Got it." Assure Carlos, Logan, and James with thumbs up.

Having just performed their newest hit song Ruled the World; BTR and their interviewer Loraine Presely are all laughing at the strangest thing a Carlos fan has ever done to get close to him for a picture. When the laughter quieted, James was asked about his love for Cuda Man products, which he told Loraine that he's been using them since twelve years of age and they've never let him down. He also mentioned that he did some elbow modeling, embelishing that he's the _after_ picture of an elbow on the glory of Cuda Man elbow cream. Much to his bandmates horror he even had the magazine stashed away on his person to show Mrs. Presely, but she seemed interested and commented that it was a good elbow.

"Logan, word got out that you have some special secret talent? Can you demonstrate it for us?"

"Oh, sure." Standing, Logan placed his hands down at his sides then tossed his weight over himself doing a perfect handless back spring.

Loraine Presely clapped her hands and grinned at the youths natural ability for acrobatics. She seemed to be eating them all up. Everything was going along perfectly. This was going to be a really good job after all. "Kendall, how 'bout you? Can you tell us some of your interest, or hobbies? What does a bad boy like yourself do in his spare time?" She smiled sweetly at the handsome young man, expecting an answer somewhere along the lines of loving animals, taking walks. Stuff that make girls swoon when thinking about a hard bad boy type doing it.

"Well Loraine, when I'm not rehersing at Rocque records" He sounded very point with any one of the answers he gave when being questioned. "I like skate boarding, I love hockey, I enjoy slam dancing, and telling jokes." And to drive the point home about jokes, he added to the statement. "Just the other day James and me were screwing each other like rabbits."

And while at first everyone was laughing, Kendall was the first to actually hear over what he'd just said and he froze like a stone, face petrified with realization, and slowly the rest of the band and Loraine Presely, A.M. L.A. interviewer, froze up with an expression that wondered if the statement were true. Deadpanned expression on his face, James soon flared up at the true meaning behind the words and shooting Kendall a glare he snapped at him in a disbelieving tone. "What!"

At Rocque records. Kelly fainted, while Gustavo stared wide-eyed and mortified at an equally mortified Kendall who, on a zooming screen, stared back.

_Uh oh ohh ohhhh_

"He's been like this since the interview." Logan analyzed. "I think he's escaped reality."

The band took the limo back to the Palmwoods to escape the impending wrath of Gustavo, who no doubt would kill them this time around. Moving Kendall from the studio to the limo wasn't difficult, they'd ushered the male around when he'd had his falling out over Jo going to New Zealand. So from studio to car and car to apartment, for Carlos and Logan it was a cake-walk.

When the apartment door opened, Katie was the first on the scene with a well prepared joke on her lips. But upon seeing the state her big brother was in she doned a look of impressed surprise as his paralyzed body was dumped onto the long orange couch.

"Wow. I did _not_ think he'd still be out of it." Looking down at her brother, she touches the back of her hand to his forehead. "Still warm."

"I mean _how_ could he do that to _me_?" James demanded in an angry huff. The statement just kept replaying in his head over and over. "I like _chicks_, not ma- mmm." He tried to force the word out but he couldn't bring himself to say his own gender, lest the statement be true. So he instead chose to say. "_Kendall's._" He let out a hysterical laugh. "I mean sure, how could be not like me?"

The others cast a weary, disbelieving, glance toward the ranting male for that clap on his back for being able to win the hearts of both the female and apperantly male genders alike.

"How can Kendall like me? I didn't even know he was into..." And again he paused on just saying 'guys' and instead said. "N-not Jo's. Jo? Oh, I should have known." He dramatically threw his hands to his face and leaned his head back as if the weight of his hands were that heavy. "Her name was Jo- _dead give away_!" Dropping his weight onto a seat at the kitchen table, he sobs onto the table top; gently popping his head up and down on it.

"Yeah," Agreed Katie following one of James's earlier statements about her brother's gender interest. "If any of you were into guys my money would have been on Logan."

Said male, successfully offended, scoffed as he quipped. "_Katie_!"

The twelve year old girl only shrugged. Walking around the couch to the front she flops down onto the cushy seat beside her brother's head, sandwiching herself between him and her mother; who had yet to say anything regarding the interview.

"My life is over!" Groaned James. He took a moment to once again sob loudly before something dawned on him and he popped up from the seat, finger pointed in the air like one would see from a mad scientist who figured out how to bring life with a few scraps of human flesh. "I am _not_ gonna let him get away with this." He marched over the couch, ready for action.

It was then that Jennifer intervened. Setting her book down, she addresses the situation sternly. "Nobody is gonna do anything. You boys need to go cool off and come to your senses before this thing gets out of hand."

"But Ms. Knight-...?" James protested.

"But nothing." Jennifer crosses her arms she further show that she meant business. "Go swimming its a lovely day, or get a smoothie."

Logan and Carlos dropped there eyes to the floor, almost wincing from the fight they thought was about to go down between James and Ms. Knight, but to their surprise James only released a hefty sigh.

"You're right. Maybe I can gain back some of my street cred' and do damage control."

Smiling, the motherly woman to all of them stood up and ushered them out the door. "Good idea."

"He couldn't have said Logan." James groaned as he went down the hall.

The closing door silenced the noise in the hall, and Jennifer trotted her way back to the long orange couch with Katie and her petrified son.

"Oooh, this is gonna be good." Katie rubbed her hands together, before making herself more comfortable.

"Katie, you're thirsty too."

Gaping, the girl retorts. "No, I'm not."

"Go!"

"But...?" Sighing just as heavy as James had when he was shoved out, the girl slid from the couch. "Fine. But I'm gonna grill him the minute I get him alone." And she slugged off to the pool closing the door a bit louder than she should have.

Looking down at her son's paralyzed form, Ms. Knight sighs shaking her head. His eyes are wide, and his hands are stuck up in a defensive pose. How could this happen to the poor thing. "They're gone." She informs him hoping that her words reach him wherever he's escaped to.

Kendall visibly relaxed and his limps sagged and dropped about the sofa, as he expelled his held breath like a balloon losing air. Now slack with relief, he sits up in the chair like a crumpled sack; rubbing the back of his neck he says reflectively. "I was starting to cramp. I thought they'd never leave." He continued rubbing his neck.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Nooo." And he shook his head on the matter, but no sooner had the word come out did he go on to say. "I was only joking when I'd said it anyway. I don't know how that part was missed."

"Well, "screwing like rabbits" is pretty hard to ignore." His mom always good with the growth of boys. Most parents would have gotten the soap and washed the dirty statement clean from their kids mouth, but with Jennifer she'd always left room for understanding. "And besides, you've always _liked_ James." She added very matter-of-factly.

"Mooom, can you not _acknowledge_ it?" He threw his hands up in a shrugged plead.

Jennifer only cocked her head in thought. "So now James knows your secret; what's the worst that can happen?"

"Beat me up; leave the band; give me a shoulder colder than a Minnesota winter."

Jennifer's brow quirked at that comment.

"Ha. Go _back_ to Minnesota."

"All possibilities _or_ you could talk about it and help him to understand from your side."

Kendall seemed to be thinking that over; a scenario playing out in his head where he and James talk it over. James grins that adorable happy grin of his, nods his head, shakes his hand and pats him on the back before strolling away with a better understanding and nothing to fear from one of his best friends. The thought made him smile. It seemed entirely possible, but before he could tell his mother that she was right his phone went off in his pocket. Removing it, Kendall winced at the picture of an erupting volcano.

"Looks lie Gustavo's finally recovered. Guess I won't need to confront James after all, because once Gustavo's done with me... I'll be dead."

"You're panicking again. I'm sure Gustavo just wants to discuss damange control, not kill you."

"Alright people, _damage control_." Pacing back and forth; Gustavo looks more menacing than he's ever looked in the past when they've screwed up one way or another. It did not seem like it would go well for Kendall at all.

"I vote," And this was Logan. "we dump him down the ducts at the Palm Woods hotel and hide him out until the public forgets about it." He sat back in his seat hands behind his head ready for the congratulations on such a productive plan.

"Good." Gustavo then points to Carlos. "You. Idea."

"We say that it was a pod from Saturn and it just happened to be a James fan." He shrugged empathetically to James and Kendall.

Gustavo just blinked at that. "Next." He points to James; who'd momentarily just been popping his head against the desk.

Sitting up, he snickers hysterically and says. "I vote" And he turns his gaze to Kendall to finish. "we BLOW HIM UP!"

"No!" Shout Kelly, Gustavo, Carlos, and Logan.

"WHY NOT?" James barked back.

By this point Kendall had heard enough. "So far I've been stuffed in a closet, dropped down the ducts, Carlos thinks I should move and raise Kerabu, and James keeps pressing for me to _blow me up_... Doesn't anyone care about what _I_ think?"

"No." Replied James quickly.

Groaning, Kendall rolls his eyes as he gets up out of his seat. "Nothing short" He stalks across the room as he talks. "of saying I was some crazed fan-girl in disguise will get us out of this."

That seemed to strike a nerve as the 5 grab their chins and thoughtfully look into the scenario bubble playing the scene out in their minds.

...

"I can't believe they dressed me in drag and sent me to A.M. L.A." Grumbles the, with his wig, very bleached blond to himself. The whole get up was a fright. A pink sleeveless camel neck, some overly snug pencil skirt. He had more room in his bad boy leathers. Well, maybe it wasn't that tight but the humiliation sure made it feel that way. Knowing its the only way to solve this problem, he sucked it up and waited to take one for the team, and as he's smoothing out the blond wig and hitching up his fake boobs Kendall is completely unaware that of James creeping up behind him, hands poised to grasp him by the throat and... "Oh, hey James." He mentally smacked himself for sounding so nervous. He couldn't help it, James was on the war path and in all honesty it sucked!

Dropping his hands, feigning innocent. He glared at Kendall before saying very curtly. "I'm not talking to you."

"You just did." Retorts the cross-dressed male.

"I..." He fumbled for something to say in return that would be equally snark, then it hit him and he snapped his fingers and proudly rebuddled. "I came to say that I'm no longer talking to you." He smiled at his cleverness and even went as far as to add. "Ha."

"Oh good. So we'll just ignore each other."

"Yup, bye." James waved before turning and stalking off.

Shaking his head in disblief, Kendall turns when hearing the stage hand say.

"Get ready Miss Porter."

"Okay, thank you." Kendall replied with his best female voice.

The news broadcast started the moment their anchorman pointed over to he and Loraine who are seated on a small made up set that contains two arm chairs colored powder pink and behind them on the wall as a background board is a large poster of the group with a heart around James's head. Oh he'd love that if he saw it. Thankfully he left and only Kelly remained with him.

"Hello everyone, I'm Loraine Presely and we're here to bring you the latest news with the Big Time Slip of the tongue from Big Time Rushes's bad boy member Kendall Knight."

Kendall made a face, unseen by Loraine, at the word-play off their bands name.

"The band's bad boy came down with a nasty stomach virus this morning and a mysterious fan of there's just sort of jumped in to take his place." Even as she said it it sounded like a load of-... "Charlotte Porter, welcome to the studio."

"Hi." Kendall waved and pretended to be a bit shy, when really he didn't want anyone to recognize him. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to have you. We here were all a little shocked to find out about this big switch-a-roo between you and Kendall. Good thing Gustavo Rocque, head of Rocque Records called and cleared it all up for us to be able to have this interview with you." She snickered a moment then said very cryptically. "Honestly, we were all shocked to hear such a thing come from the popular band member." And boy did it ever sound as if she'd wanted the statement to be true. Nothing like some juicy gossip. "So please, help clear it up for our viewers."

"Yes, mhm, I can clear it up very easily."

"Its working," Kelly cheered from the sidelines.

"I was waiting outside of the studio to hear them sing and watch them on the jumbo screen while they talked and... ooops silly me, I spied Kendall clutching his stomach," And where did the Miss Piggy voice come from all of a sudden? But he continued speaking with it. "And so I said Candice-.."

"Charlotte." Corrected the news woman, so hung on his words that she hadn't even realized the slip up.

"Charlotte," He didn't know who granted him so much luck right now, but he could have kissed them. "this is prime pouncing time to be near my beloved James Diamond." With a very feminine giggle he added. "I'm a huge fan."

"So I've noticed... so then, why dress up like Kendall?" She asked finally getting to the meat of the matter.

"Why? Because it was the only way to get in here, and the only way to be near James, silly." He batted his long fake lashes at the James on the background board behind him. "I just _love_ James."

The two women giggled at the comment, since it was so true that Charlotte went as far as to impersonate Kendall just to be near him.

"I should have known it wasn't Kendall, there was just something off about his face."

"Well, I just squirrel up when I see the man I love- oopsy!" And he giggled at that.

And it could have worked. It should have worked. Honestly? It HAD worked... until James, who had lingered around the studio, had once again heard enough and from off camera he called out.

"Stop saying you love me!" Before leaping into frame and pouncing on Kendall.

The cameras filmed the whole scuffle. From the flying fist, to hair being pulled, to hair being pulled off! And Kendall shot the camera a wild frightened look as once again it zoomed in on his freezing fear. It would seem that the Kendall and James scandal would be on front pages well into the boys' greying hair days. And the ride back to Rocque Records was silent and brutal. They could only imagine what their boss would say to them now that James is also in hot water when Kendall almost got them out of it.

"Okay," He let out an agitated sigh as he took a seat at his desk. "new plan." He steeples his fingers and looks at the four of them. Mainly the two guilty members. "The plan is,"

The four of them leaned in, poised for redemption.

"I've never seen any of you before, and BTR is really a female Mexican singing group." Waving a hand as he stands from his seat, he ends his decision with a firm. "Bye."

"Gustavo, wait." Kelly voiced what the boy's jumbled pleads were going for. "What if we play up the angle?"

Quirking a brow, the big cheese held himself from exiting the building. "I'm _listening_?"

"What if, instead of making it into some scandal... we turn it into a _love story_."

"WHAT!" James and Kendall quipped in unison. One in anger, the other disbelief.

Ignoring the two, Kelly finishes her thought. "Kendall has always had a thing for James."

"Kelly!" Protest James, wondering when- if ever- he would stop hearing that horrible flub from his hockey buddy and best friend thrown in his face.

"Losing Jo brought the feelings back," She went on as if James hadn't spoken at all. "and he'd like to pursue it. Then... the slip up was caused byyy... _stress_!" Kelly spoke the word as if it had just come to her, like the rest of the story had.

Gustavo thought about it, and with a finger up in the air he says to his assistant. "Book them a reservation at the second nicest restaurant in town."

Kelly snapped her fingers to show that she was on it, and automatically dialed for information on her phone.

James could feel that fit of hysterics returning, and standing in an angry huff; his own declaritive finger in the air, he barks. "Doesn't anyone care what _I_ think?"

"I care buddy." Replied Carlos with a kind smile and a pat on the shoulder.

"Thanks." He said sincerly. "But that doesn't stop this train wreck that's been happening _all day_, thanks to _Kendall's_ 'curse interview."

"Oh," And this was Kendall. "and you think _I've_ been having a good time with this, _James_." He placed just as much stab into his friend's name as James had placed into his own. Standing, he gets into the enraged male's face. "Because every minute since the 'curse interview' you've been acting like a big jerk!" And he punctuated the comment with a stabbing finger to his chest.

"And _you've_ been freaking me out!" James gave Kendall a shove.

Not about to take that, Kendall did a little shoving of his own. "Well, _maybe_ if _you_ weren't being such a jerk, I wouldn't be freaking you out!" He pushed James a lot harder with that statement.

Logan and Carlos looked between them feeling the growing tension in the air. Time to referee.

"Will you guys _calm down_?" Logan got right between the duelers. "James, we know this isn't fun for you, but its happening and the fact that publicly it could have been over had you not _pounced_ on Kendall, makes it that much your fault as it is his."

"Yeah." Chimed Carlos, crossing his arms.

"So for now, just suck it up and take your punishment. The worst part is having to do it in public rather than privately." He shrugged. "You can go through with the dinner and break-up _or_ turn-down," He quickly corrected himself seeing James about to bristle and fume again at the insinuation that they are already together. "once the paparazzi have snapped a few pictures."

The fueding two thought over what the big time brain had just said.

"He makes a good point." Kendall commented.

With a load huff, James agreed. "Yeah." Then something dawned on him. "But wait, what's gonna happen once the date's over? My reputation will still be ruined."

Logan scunched his mouth in thought, then pressing his hands together as if in prayer he gestures them at James with a few thoughtful chops. "Well, girls will see that you've turned down Kendall which in their eyes makes you more attractive, and perfectly ready to be firmly planted on team female."

That seemed to perk up the ladies man, and he grinned thoughtfully at the theory.

"And Kendall, heart broken, will have offers coming in from _both_ teams aaand we increase our fan-base." He shrugged. "This _is_ L.A. after all."

Kendall and James exchanged looks, agreeing that the outcome was win-win and that worked for them.

"So," And Carlos draped a palsy arm around his friends shoulders. "we good?" And his voice sounded hopeful.

In unison the two say, "We're good."

"Great. Its not good when friends fight." He gave their shoulders a squeeze before letting go.

"Fighting or not," Kelly interupts the tender scene. "your date is at eight o'clock; Rustique restaurant."

"Oooh, barbecue!" Quirked Carlos. "you guys'll bring me back a sandwich?"

"Sssure. Now, if you'll excuse me," James heads for the exit. "I am going to get ready- for the cameras! Not the date." He was sure to make that clear to Kendall before backing out of the room; his hands up as if warding off a hoard of hungry zombies chasing after him.

Sighing heavily, shoulders slumped, Kendall turned to them once James was out of earshot. "Great as Logan's outcome of the scandal sounds... I think, as friends, James and I are over."

"Not if you explain it to him." Logan offered a kind smile. "And if its any comfort... Carlos and me are completely cool with it."

"Yeah." Nods the kindest member of the group.

Smiling, Kendall says softly. "Thanks guys."

Kelly couldn't hold back her smile at how sweet they were. Gustavo on the other hand couldn't help but cough out. "Angel Angel," Before adding. "Only let's hope it turns out better with you than it did with them."

Carlos and Logan looked surprised, then smiled at the intruiging thought that went through their heads.

"Now, I've had enough company from my dawgs to last me to my next hit group." It wasn't a threa that they were finished. More like, a hope that he'll have a future should Kendall and James find a way to screw this up yet again. "Now, go on, get out of here."

"Right."

Carlos waved his goodbye. "See you guys."

When they got down to the parking lot, they found James waiting for them seated shot gun in the convertable. He was combing his hair in the rearview mirror until they got up to the car. The drive back to the Palmwoods wasn't exactly silent, but it wasn't verbal either. But the weight was heavy and coming down on their heads as they went through the remaining hours in their apartment before the big date. Television, silent foos-hockey, video games, the usual. All done with weight of both varieties. The pressure was made worse when the news anchor leaked to the tabliods about the date from an 'unknown' source- or Kelly rather that the two were going out tonight. She had called the boys in advanced about it. And when eight struck, the two dressed and headed down to the lobby to be met with an unexpected walk of shame as half the residence at the Palmwoods, their immediate friends, aquaintances, the ever frightening Jennifer's. Everyone. Even Bitters! And they all looked wide-eyed, frozen in place, that the two actually were heading out together and dressed as though the were going on a date. This was a bigger shock to them since they all had their own lives and careers to try to make out there they hadn't seen the initial curse interview nor the flubbed second. And GossipNews, or GNews as they call it, was very graphicly discussed it. None were ready to learn of their friends secret lives.

James deadpanned in a panic, and a hysterical laugh shot from his throat again. He gave Kendall a less than playful 'get away from me' shove but the blond recovered quickly.

Straightening, he grumbled in James's ear. "We have to make this look real."

"Yeah," He mumbled back. "but not to _them_, just the hungry media." He flashed the hungry eyes of the monster skewering villagers a reassuringly gorgeous grin.

"Then we'll say that its a publicity stunt. J-just follow my lead. Okay?"

James visibly flinched. "Like I'm the girl, no way."

"_No_. Like you're James Diamond; the face of Big Time Rush, and _nothing_ not even this, can make you look bad."

Pumped, James grinned then turned to Kendall to say. "Thanks Kendall, figures my new biggest fan could boost my declining confidence."

Rolling his eyes, he groans. "Yeah, just go." And he gave him a shove forward.

"Ahaha," Waving with a tinkling of his fingers, James walked through the slowly parting crowd towards the exit. "Hi, James Diamond, and I _still_ like girls."

This mantra went on until a disgruntled Kendall followed after his friend with the right wording. It seemed they both suffered of tongue slip ups when their heads aren't clear. So Kendall began his own departing mantra.

"Publicity stunt. Hey, glad you came, James and me" His index fingers swish back and forth from himself to James. "this is a publicity stunt."

That seemed to appease to everyone, as nods went up and down. Sympathetic pats on the back were given out. They know media stunts as their own agents have put them up to one or two of them. And when he passed beyond the door and the crowd was behind them, Kendall sped off to the purple convertable; having escaped one crowd only to have it replaced with another- much hungerier- one. The paparazzi instantly snapped away, some firing off questions as they knew sound bites could get them a large chunk of change as well. The flashing beast even had the balls to shove at one another for 'the shot'.

Plastering on false smiles, James put on a huge show of opening the door for Kendall to get into the car. And Kendall, also made a grand show of getting into the car. Then James mechanically walked to the driver's side and climbed in. The car was started, put into gear and they headed out onto the streets, finally having some breathing room since the photographers were scrambling for their own vehicals.

"We've got..." He checks the dashboard for the clocks glowing green digital numbers. "fifteen minutes until we get to the restaurant." And that statement had James casting him a questioning, nervous look. "How 'bout we talk about this before we get in front of the cameras again?"

With a shrug, James spat. "What's there to talk about? I'm hot- you've just noticed it, and now you've got a thing for me." He shakes his head. "What is with your family, first Katie, and now you." He behaved as if he were trying to fight back tears suddenly. "I wield too much power."

Wide-eyed and half concerned, Kendall replied with a shaking of his head. "Yyyeah, I didn't understand none of that but... James..." And he distracted himself momentarily by looking out of his own window at the passing city. And when he spoke his voice was filled with the kind of softness that wished it weren't speaking. "There _is_ a reason, and your looks have nothing to do with it."

"Oh," That seemed surprising, but then he figured it must be his other good quality and said. "Well, if its my voice, I sing to swoon the ladies not mee-... Kendall's."

"And would you STOP saying that?" Snapped the blond. "I'm NOT that way; this whole thing is just complicated. And if you'd stop being sarcastic for one minute, I could tell you."

The car pulled to a hault at the traffic light. James was silent during the pause at the red light, and as if the green were also a sign for him to speak again as well as move the car he let out a sigh then said. "You're right... I've been a jerk, and we've been friends for too long not to hear each other out."

Nodding, Kendall said. "Thank you. Now, I'm sorry I said the- what I said during the curse interview. I was only joking anyway. And where I sort of meant it, I didn't mean it _that_ way."

"Oh, ya think?"

"_James_?" He repremanded.

"Right. Sorry. Go on."

"Okay. To make it clear... I like you that way, but it wasn't always like this."

"How long are we talking? Days? Weeks?"

"A year."

"A year!" And that made Kendall shrink back against his door. "And you haven't even bothered to try to tell me? Like- heads up James, got a big secret that might screw the both of us in the future if I hold it in much longer."

Cocking a brow, Kendall asks. "Are you done? Or can I finish?"

"Yeeah, go ahead." He was slowly fading, all reason gone and hysterics kicking back in.

"Its just that you were so psyched to come out to Hollywood that it was all you talked about until it happened."

"So, you're attracted to my ambitiousness?"

Kendall laughed at that and said very flatly. "No. I wanted to beat you up for talking about it so much, then getting the rest of us dragged into it." He was glad that James smiled at that. "It was when you went all 'orange James' on us that something just turned."

Cocking a brow, the male said. "I don't follow."

"Don't you get it? That out of aaall of us, Mr. Want-to-be-famous, was the first to get homesick..." And the weight hung there. It got through to James, and struck him hard like a spear.

He'd never even seen it that way. He wanted to fit in with his new lifestyle, at least that's what he'd told himself when he woke up and found himself purchasing some tanning spray from Cuda Man. Maybe, without his being even slightly aware of it, he'd wanted to shield himself from the rush of L.A. He wanted to sort of cover up and hide. Be stronger so that when he woke up and the mornings were hot instead of cold, and the pretty was applently rather than just his gorgeous kisser staring back at him in the reflection of others smiling his way. He missed him Mom and Dad, and Mrs. Magicowski . No, he hadn't seen any of that, he just closed his eyes and found the cold of Minnesota bracing him through the L.A. heatwave and his urge to be mandarine was gone. But Kendall saw. He saw everything! Himself, Logan, Carlos. The unknown Big Time Rock of the group. And was someone playing their song with Jordan Sparks, _Count on You_? He can swear he hears it playing.

"It was nice to see you hadn't lost yourself to Hollywood so completely that you forget about you hockey buddies." Kendall went on smiling teasingly to lessen the tension building, and unknowingly snapping James out of his thoughts. The car pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant, and while the stalking photographers found a space for their cars, Kendall ended his thought by saying... "But, in light of all this I realize for _myself_ that you and I won't ever be anything more than friends. And I'm perfectly cool with that- in fact, I think I'm _cured_!" And he threw his freedom hands into the air before pushing open the car door.

Hearing this, James made a face of confusion before saying. "Wait? What?"

But Kendall hadn't heard because the paparazzi showed up snapping away as they entered the restaurant. Grinning, he said over his shoulder through grit teeth. "Looks like its showtime." He pretended then to be annoyed that he and James were followed as he stepped out of the car.

James hung back a moment, a reflective look in his eyes about Kendall, and he gradually stepped from the car and followed Kendall, who held the door open for him, into the restaurant.

...

While eating a very delicious and saucy pulled pork sandwich, Kendall only halfway noticed the silence between he and James. The atmosphere was so dead that even the paparazzi swarmed around other tables, either eating their own meals or snapping pictures of a puking Lindsay Lohan. Gross. There were some still watching them though, and Kendall kicked James's foot under the table to get his attention. "Why do they hide? We know they're there. Why hide? Are the angles that much better across the room?" He said this a bit louder, before raising a quizitive shrug towards a photographer he caught eyes with. The man blushed and moved out of view. That made Kendall laugh, and he tried to get the same reaction from James to lighten the mood, but boy he seemed dour.

"James?"

"Yeah."

_'Okay. Take two.'_ Raising his drippy messy dinner up into the air, he points at it saying. "Best barbecue in L.A., am I right?"

"That's fine." Replied James, really not paying attention anymore.

Sighing, Kendall dropped the facade for the cameras and leaned forward to ask. "James, what's up? You've been giving me the silent treatment since we left the car?"

"I've been thinking about what you said."

Taken aback Kendall leaned forward a little more to ask. "About why I like you?"

"_Noo_. That you're breaking up with me."

Rolling his eyes, Kendall groaned. "Oh we are not getting into that again." And by 'that' he meant James griping and moaning over his perfect dating streak like he had when he'd dated blonde Jennifer.

"Well."

"Well, what?" Hissing now, incase there are recorders going somewhere. "I didn't 'break up' with you, because we were _never together_. I just said that my _feelings_ for you are gone. You think you'd be _happy._"

"Yeah? Well, I thought _wrong_." Declared James.

"Apperantly, so have I..." He put up a challanging shrug of his hands and shoulders before crossing his arms and leaning back nonchalantly in his seat.

Flaberghasted, James warned. "Take that back."

"No." Kendall said snidely.

"Kendall..." And the warning was stronger.

Kendall only cocked a brow as if to say 'what?'

"Oh that is _it_," And James got to his feet. "this fake date is over. And so are we."

"Good!" And now Kendall stood; his hand slapped the table top. "Because _I_ was done with you anyway."

He heads for the door after that, leaving James wide-eyed and mortyfied. Storming off in the opposite direction to take the side door out. The paparazzi hungrily swarmed the abandoned table just then, having gotten pictures of the two hashing it out, now they wanted some shots of the table, the meal, etcetera. Leaving the two alone for the time being, and it was all the time James needed to catch up to his fake dinner date.

"Kendall! Kendall wait!" He hurried over to the car where Kendall ceased his pace to simply lean against the side of the vehical; arms folded across his chest, ankles crossed. He didn't look upset, he looked pensive, thoughtful. Probably readying himself for the awkward ride home. "What I said back there, you know that was just acting right?" He straightened after he caught his breath from speeding around the building to the parking lot. "I mean, we're not done. We're still friends but... the 'dating thing' is over."

"I know," And he sighed. "Let's just get back to the Palmwoods aaand forget this day ever happened." He stands up straight and tugs open the door on the driver's side.

Realizing that he was losing him, James quickly dug into his pocket removing two slips of paper which he shoved in front of Kendall's face so that his arm was barring him from getting into the car. Cocking a brow, the blond back up to take a better look at the offer.

"Tickets?"

"To the hair model show... I only have 2 and I thought that maybe you'd like to go with me." He practically had 'please say yes' dripping from his tone.

Smiling, Kendall had to tease him and he asked. "Oh what, like a _date_." And he grinned when he got the desired effect of James' tense face before he coughed and cleared his throat.

"Aheh, strong word. How 'bout we just call it two friends getting to know each other differently?" He put on a nice smile.

Kendall let James stew a moment, then reaching out he takes a ticket. "Alright. I'll go with you, but on one condition?"

James raised a questioning brow.

"We don't let _whatever_ happens come between our friendship."

"Deal." He holds out a hand taking Kendall's to shake on it. But what he hadn't expected himself to do, and was sure that Kendall never saw coming, was he pulled the blond into him for a kiss.

It was amazing the similarities between kissing a girl and kissing a guy. It was soft, tender; but unlike with women it was smokey, probably due to dinner. But there was one huge difference the two couldn't compare with Jo and James' body count of ladies... it had an underlying stir. And it was strong and electric, the surge almost burned like fire through their lips. And the feeling was instant at that. It pricked and bristled up James' spine the moment the weight of Kendall's arm draped around his shoulders and the other wrapped firmly around his waist, his own hands at Kendall's hips, touching lightly but wanting to pull them closer. When Kendall's tongue brushed his own before retreating all together, James was hooked on the sensation and gripped with the flavor of heat. And he found himself wondering if this is what it felt like for Kendall when he realized that he liked him. The emotional instant where the breaks just slammed and things changed. But with James it seemed to be more physical the things that got him. And just as soon as it had started it ended, and funny how it seemed that if Kendall released his hold around him, he'd fall apart... They stayed close together, breathless and then parted.

Kendall seemed to come to sooner than James since he was the first to say. "We should go."

"Yeah."

Climbing into the car, Kendall behind the wheel, and the car pulls away from the restaurant. "You know," He says when the car is a good few miles away and they're at the light. "I can't help but think that we forget something."

Grinning like a fool, James slapped him on the bicep with the back of his hand and replied happily. "Are you kidding? Everything went perfectly."

And when the news magazine Pop Tiger came out the next week it featured pictures of the date. A small picture that announced the secret couple came to a split. But, they did make the cover, or at least their table did. With a heading that read: Ex-Big Time Couple Dines and Dashes restaurant.

Uh oh oh ohhhhhhh...

THE END

A.N.: And that was the start to a slightly longer story with Kendall and James. I hope you enjoyed it. I don't own Big Time Rush in any way shape or form and I make no money from this. The song featured is not theirs, it by a singer named Lights titled Face Up and you should really check it out at youtube or buy the album because its good. All her songs are. And I thought, I can really hear BTR singing it. So I used it. Thanks for reading and please leave a review if you liked it. Thank you.


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